P4120758 installation (318 SSP)

[Dibbons]

After a year in storage, finally installed the Mopar viscous drive 5 blade fan (P4120758) to replace the fixed 7 blade fan. Did not have any cooling system problems, just thought it would be an upgrade. I don't know if it shows in the foto, but the aftermarket 22" shroud I installed some time ago has about a 5/8" gap at the top of the radiator (the radiator is aftermarket). It looks to me like the shroud has warped, it never did fit tight up against the radiator. I don't know if the original problem was the non-stock radiator or the shroud (or both).

Last week at a radiator shop I had the radiator cleaned and had them switch the overflow outlet from the passenger side to the driver's side in preparation to install a factory style (aftermarket) overflow bottle and bracket I purchased. But the bracket does not fit. For some reason, the bracket will not squeeze in all the way to the radiator frame where it needs to be fastened (I see some more fabricating in my future).

 

[451Mopar]

I hear the Mopar fan kit is no longer available? The ones that do pop-up for sale are really expensive

 

[Dibbons]

The viscous drive was stored with the proper orientation (this side up) for over a year before installation. Its been on for a couple of months now. While in a traffic jam a couple of times now, I have watched the coolant temperature gauge rise from normal operating temperature (about 1/3 of the way over from cold) to the middle of the gauge and then just a little past that. I NEVER seem to hear any fan noise. The vehicle has no A/C and the traffic jams took place during mild ambient temperatures of around 80 degrees. I beginning to believe this Mopar viscous drive fan is free-wheeling all the time, regardless of coolant temperature. I've read all about the funky ways to test the viscous drive, all I know is it is "new" and I don't see obvious defects (i.e. leaky fluid). I wonder if the viscous part can be purchased separately.